Calla Lily

I started carving a block of Basswood measuring 8” X 14 ½” and 2 ¾” thick. The softness of Basswood made it easier to carve than Sycamore (Twists n Turns o Life)– maybe even a bit too soft for comfort. I started it with a frame supporting the tips of the lily, bulb and leaf until almost all the carving was done; then removed it. They now bounce a little – extremely fragile. So I made an acrylic box to protect it.I reduced the thickness of the flower and the leaf to under 1/8”, somewhere between 1/16 and 3/32 with areas that are opaque against a light. That was a challenge and it was slow going as well as having to support the working area with counter pressure from the opposite side; at times, I felt faint for having to hold my breath doing that! And for added realism and a little humor, I carved a Lady Bug that ate a hole (I really hated doing that) on the Lily. I did not color this composition because I did not want it to look like just another resin cast made in China. This puppy is made – correction – hand carved in America out of one piece of wood. The bug is the only thing added. I used mostly traditional hand tools on this project. I did use a drill press and a power chisel to remove large areas, but no laser, CNC or router was used. On the advice (thank you, guys) of some of my fellow LJs, I put 5 coats of (rattle-can) lacquer on the composition.I am elated to tell you that last weekend, I entered this project into the judging contest at the 46th Annual Artistry in Wood Show in Oklahoma City, OK and won a Blue Ribbon!Thank you for watching.

-- LittlePAW - The sweetest sound in my shop, next to Mozart, is what a hand plane makes slicing a ribbon.